Slide 4
Slide 4 text
The Efect of County Music on Suicide
SIEVEN STACK, Wayne State University
JiM GUNDLACH, Auburn University
Abstract
T7his
article assesses the link between
country music and metropolitan
suicide rates.
Country
music is hypothesized
to nurture
a suicidal
mood through
its concerns
with
problems
common
in the suicidal
population,
such as marital
discord,
alcohol
abuse,
and
alienation
from work. The results
of a multiple
regression
analysis
of 49 metropolitan
areas
show that the greater
the airtime
devoted
to country
music, the greater
the white
suicide rate. The effect is independent
of divorce,
southernness,
poverty, and gun
availability.
The existence
of a country
music subculture
is thought
to reinforce
the link
between
country
music and suicide.
Our model
explains
51% of the variance
in urban
white suicide
rates.
Sociological work on the relationship between art and society has been largely
restricted to speculative, sociohistorical theories that are often mutually
opposed. Some theorists see art as creating social structure
(Adorno 1973), while
Sorokin (1937) suggests that society and art are manifested in cyclical autono-
mous spheres; and still others contend that art is a reflection of social structure
(Albrecht
1954). Little empirical work has been done on the impact of music on
social problems. While some research has linked music to criminal behavior
(Singer,
Levine & Jou 1990), the relationship
between music and suicide remains
largely unexplored. Music is not mentioned in reviews of the literature on
suicide (Lester
1983; Stack 1982, 1990b);
instead, the impact of art on suicide has
been largely restricted to analyses of television movies and soap operas (for a
review, see Stack 1990b).
ty and art are manifested in cyclical autono-
tend that art is a reflection of social structure
ork has been done on the impact of music on
arch has linked music to criminal behavior
ationship
between music and suicide remains
mentioned in reviews of the literature on
90b);
instead, the impact of art on suicide has
s of television movies and soap operas (for a
link between a particular form of popular
opolitan suicide rates. We contend that the
ter a suicidal mood among people already at
eby associated with a high suicide rate. The
ubculture
and a link between this subculture
creased suicide risk.
her variables were provided by the Inter-University
search, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. We are
pirations and helpful discussions, to the anonymous
to Mitch Henryfor his help in gathering the data on
Steven Stack, Department of Sociology, Wayne State
s Social Forces, September 1992, 71(1):211-218